Wood you slow down

If you ever find yourself in a limbo and asking yourself what you really want to do in life, watch online videos to pick up a craft. You never know where it might get you.

That was how visual communications designer and illustrator Ng Xinnie stumbled upon her passion for crafting small wooden wares such as spoons and animal-shaped brooches.

“I was transitioning into a new job three years ago, and there was a bit of time to finally ask myself what I really enjoyed the most,” shared the 28-year-old. “I always wanted to explore the idea of working with wood but never got to it, so I ordered some tools online, got some wood and began looking at online spoon carving forums and videos on how others are doing it.”

She shared that she had to figure out the process that worked best for her, and made mistakes along the way. “I have still a lot more to learn and that’s what I like about it, too. It is a journey and you’re also discovering more about what can be done,” she said.

It wasn’t long before she was encouraged by her friends to start selling her creations under her brand Everyday Canoe, which has been well-received. Her biggest order so far was preparing 120 spoons as wedding favours for a friend, and she accepts orders for customisation as well. Her prices start from S$24. Ng also conducts wood carving workshops.

She notes that there is a lot more interest from consumers in handcrafted products as you get to feel “the little details and sometimes intentional imperfections that set them apart”.

The appeal of the painstakingly handmade products extends to the desire to learn the craft. Ng believes that everyone can enjoy the tactility of working with something in an analogue way — whether it is cooking or sketching. “Pottery and wood-working in particular bring the functional with the aesthetic together, and the process, and history behind them are what fascinate people to learn more about them,” she observed.

Ng typically begins her wood-working from 7pm after her day job. She obtains her wood from a furniture maker who has offcuts of good quality timbre (usually teak, oak and walnut) in different shapes and sizes, which are too small to be used or do not meet the requirements for furniture. From there, she designs her creations, cuts out the wood required and begins carving.

“To be honest, it is still a continuous balancing act but I enjoy both illustrating and woodcarving, and it’s nice to be able to bounce around a few projects within a day,” said Ng. Besides carving small wooden items, Ng is looking to do more unusual sculptural pieces, where she sculpts as she goes along without the end in mind.

While such meandering methods may not be for everyone, Ng feels it never hurts to slow down once in a while, adding: “I believe going too fast also robs yourself of the chance to dig deeper and truly understand things.”